Feeding Non - Organic Vegetables

[ARACHNO-SMACK48]

I know this is not a forum for reptiles but I know that quite a few of you keep reptiles. I have a juvenile bearded dragon and I am trying to diversify the kinds of vegetables he eats. I am well aware of which fruits and veggies they can eat but I have yet to see very many people discuss Organic vs Non-Organic. Also will using vegetables that have been exposed to pesticides to feed your feeders hurt any of the animals you are feeding them too? From what I know non organic is ok so long as it is washed thoroughly but I have stuck strictly to organic so far. Share your thoughts. Thanks

 

[Cavedweller]

I prefer not to take the risk, even if its a bit pricer. If you absolutely have to, I'd avoid produce that tends to carry a lot of pesticide residue like strawberries or apples.

Edit: Oh also, this should probably be moved to the vertebrate subforum.

 

[skippydude]

Funny thing about non-organic veggies is most pesticides used are systemic and can't be washed off.

Your only washing off surface debris, not the chemical pesticides when you wash your veggies

Not sure of the effects that residual systemics have on feeders, just putting it out there that they can't be washed off

 

[The Snark]

Funny thing about non-organic veggies is most pesticides used are systemic and can't be washed off.

Your only washing off surface debris, not the chemical pesticides when you wash your veggies

Not sure of the effects that residual systemics have on feeders, just putting it out there that they can't be washed off

I need to correct you somewhat. A few pesticides are systemic, turning the plant into a pesticide. Most of these chemicals are banned from use on food plants. (Hey, trust Monsanto. They have our welfare at heart, right?) It is the herbicides which go systemic as a rule.
With all veggies, organic or not, I stuff them into a quart container, add a small squirt of dishwashing liquid and a tablespoon of citric acid, top up with water, close, shake well, let stand for 1 hour, rinse until no foam then rinse again with drinking water. A quarter of my diet is raw veggies and so far rigidly following this washing regimen has kept me safe.

 

[RzezniksRunAway]

I use a similar method to Snark for cleaning, but I use plain white vinegar. I try to buy mostly organic, but some things I have a hard time finding in the area organic (like asparagus, and my desire to eat it overrides my paranoia about pesticides). I try to follow the EWG's dirty dozen/clean 15 list, and use that as a guideline. My crested geckos are on crested diet (pangea, black panther zoological, big fat gecko) and I do give them organic baby food or a fruit smoothie once in a great while. My roaches are fed mostly organic, very few things slip through that aren't. I have a deal with an organic stand at the farmers market to get their "trash" when I go, which is the scraps from the things they've eaten, and damaged-past-selling foods.


If you have a non-sprayed area, dandelion greens are an excellent food for Bearded dragons. There are a ton of wild-forages you can collect if you know there are no pesticides. Clean them well, and there's some variety. I don't trust wild-collected insects as food because they roam, but plants don't.
Link to the dirty dozen/clean 15
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

 

[ARACHNO-SMACK48]

I think I will only use non organic on occasion. The problem is that the only organic produce I have access to are not overly good staples for beardies. Things such as kale and arugula.

 

[The Snark]

If you have a non-sprayed area, dandelion greens are an excellent food for Bearded dragons. http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

Ignoring the minor fact if you get caught planting dandelions in your lawn your family may have you committed for observation or, in Southern California, you will live in perpetual fear of a lynch mob.
Or do as a friend of mine does. Have a picnic on the lawn, pick the dandelion leaves and add them to the salad. Their vitamin and mineral content is phenomenal. Bring your Beardy out with you to catch some rays.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2441/2

 

[RzezniksRunAway]

Ignoring the minor fact if you get caught planting dandelions in your lawn your family may have you committed for observation or, in Southern California, you will live in perpetual fear of a lynch mob.

i don't need to plant them, they're everywhere without even trying. I've debated trying to grow them in a container, but we have way more than enough without it. I hate this "plain, green lawn" thing, it's boring. Ours is barely even grass anymore, just random plants that we keep trimmed back so we don't look like a crack-shack. I'd never survive a neighborhood with a HOA.